The Greatest

The two week wait is a really really terrible thing.  It's the longest most excruciating days because you are waiting for life altering news.  The waiting consists of over analyzing every single feeling, things you aren't feeling, every emotion, every hope, every dream that you have for the little baby.  During my two week wait I had cramping, I had sore breasts, I had increase in my sense of smell. I held out and was so strong during the two week wait and refused to pee on a stick because that darn single pink line and I didn't get a long. I didn't want to see that horrible horrible thing, so I boycotted the stick.  The morning of August 27 I went into Bryan Lab to have my hcg drawn, I went bright and early hoping to get results back asap, but the call didn't come.  I waited over lunch still no call, I waited mid afternoon still no call.  Eventually I went back to the Bryan Lab and had them print out my lab value.  I knew I needed a higher number but what exact number I didn't know.

I wanted to save the paper until I was home but for some reason walking down the hall of the Women and Children's tower I opened that white piece of paper.  My eyes searched the letters and numbers for the hcg lab value I needed.  That's when I saw it.... 78! I WAS PREGNANT!! Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, is this really happening.  I barely remember my drive home (probably not safe), and then sat and waited at home for Derrick to get home.  I had about two hours to spare so I decided to get dressed up so we could go out to celebrate.

Many months prior (back when I thought this whole getting pregnant thing would be a breeze, haha), I had the same caricature artist who drew our engagement proposal make a baby sketch for me to surprise Derrick with.

Derrick came home and came in the door to the caricature waiting on the counter, with me standing close by with our lab numbers.  Those moments, that look, those tears, made it all worth it.  The sense of relief was incredible.  Derrick and I were parents.  We were going to have a baby.  We spend the rest of the night going around to tell our parents, and close family. We then went to celebrate at Old Chicago for pizza and nachos.

Two days later we had our second beta hcg test and the number came back at 209. It was perfect.  HCG numbers in the beginning of pregnancy has to be greater than 5 to be pregnant but then that number should double every 48 hours.  Ours had done that and more. We were on cloud nine and so in love with the little numbers that were growing quickly. More on hcg and doubling times here: American Pregnancy Association- HCG

Court Jones out of California is who has done our caricatures, he is a very well known caricature artist and does amazing work.  You can check out his page here : Court Jones- Caricatures